Dry fire in 2010

[Coach]

We are barely into the new year, and I have resumed my winter dry fire habits. It has been a hectic start to the new year but I have maintained my goal of three session per week.

Wondering how many others are out there doing some dry fire drills trying to improve their skills?

 

[obijohn]

i dry fire regularly. great practice.

 

[Joe Williams]

Regularly. It's a vital part of staying proficient, IMHO.

 

[rvb]

I needed some time off... burn-out can be a danger, too...

Since the OH match in Oct, I've barely done anything. Actually the only time I touched a pistol was putting on my carry gun. oh, and one spontaneous match in Nov at Atlanta just cause the weather was so nice.

I've spent the time building myself a swanky gun room. It's nearly complete and I've started to move all my stuff in it. [Once it's done, then it's on to finishing the rest of the basement. ]

anyway... Last week I picked up my production gun for the first time in 9 months (shot open nearly all of '09). I've only gotten maybe 3 dryfire sessions in. I still have a little ways to go to get back to my old pars, but it's coming back fast. By the end of the month I want to be back to my 5x/week routine.

Once I can clear out my garage a bit (space currently taken up building/staining a custom ammo cabinet for my new room), I plan to build some props and start doing some hard-core practice out in the garage.

The good thing about taking time off is that the desire comes back even stronger...

-rvb

 

[Barry in IN]

I got a cheap (WalMart) Airsoft pistol last week and have been practicing with it. I guess having something hit a target, even if it's a foot high, adds a little more interest to it to keep me doing it.

 

[Roadie]

Uh oh! Watch out, some INGO members view dry firing as "playing with your gun"

that reminds me, I need to get some 9mm snap caps...

 

[Coach]

I needed some time off... burn-out can be a danger, too...

Since the OH match in Oct, I've barely done anything. Actually the only time I touched a pistol was putting on my carry gun. oh, and one spontaneous match in Nov at Atlanta just cause the weather was so nice.

I've spent the time building myself a swanky gun room. It's nearly complete and I've started to move all my stuff in it. [Once it's done, then it's on to finishing the rest of the basement. ]

anyway... Last week I picked up my production gun for the first time in 9 months (shot open nearly all of '09). I've only gotten maybe 3 dryfire sessions in. I still have a little ways to go to get back to my old pars, but it's coming back fast. By the end of the month I want to be back to my 5x/week routine.

Once I can clear out my garage a bit (space currently taken up building/staining a custom ammo cabinet for my new room), I plan to build some props and start doing some hard-core practice out in the garage.

The good thing about taking time off is that the desire comes back even stronger...

-rvb

I have had plenty of down time. No dry fire since April, and very very few live fire practice sessions. Shortage of time and primers are my excuses.

I have changed gear a little since April and now I am back to dry firing and I am almost back to form with more difficult draw and more difficult reloads due to gear. I plan to stay with three times per week until March and I may move to four if time allows. I want to maintain a solid routine through Area 5 at least.

 

[Coach]

Regularly. It's a vital part of staying proficient, IMHO.

agreed.

 

[bwframe]

I need to stay out of Internet forums, so I'll have time.

 

[Coach]

I understand a time crunch. But a few minutes three days a week makes a huge difference.

 

[GIJEW]

I've started shooting in an air rifle league to prep for smallbore & highpower rifle. I dry fire once or twice a week or shoot my air soft pistol instead (making empty .22 boxes bounce keeps it fun).
Any thoughts on 1)the use of snap caps? 2)drills transitioning to multiple targets--for those of you using semi-auto pistols?

 

[Coach]

I've started shooting in an air rifle league to prep for smallbore & highpower rifle. I dry fire once or twice a week or shoot my air soft pistol instead (making empty .22 boxes bounce keeps it fun).
Any thoughts on 1)the use of snap caps? 2)drills transitioning to multiple targets--for those of you using semi-auto pistols?

I have never bothered with snap caps and the gun has not broken. I use full size IPSC targets on the garage wall. I only use three targets and I use drills from Steve Anderson's dry fire book.

El Prez and one called 6 reload 6, which is the same drill but without the turn. I think these are valuable because it is multiple targets and requires a snapping of the eyes to do it at the fastest possible speed.

 

[rvb]

Any thoughts on 1)the use of snap caps? 2)drills transitioning to multiple targets--for those of you using semi-auto pistols?

1) hundreds of thousands of dryfires on my match pistols w/o snap caps. Consider one pack of a-zooms (that I'll wear out in a few weeks) costs more than a new firing pin and spring......well.
know your gun. dryfiring some .22s will wreck them.

2) sure... do drills with multiple targets! haha. left to right and back. low to high and back. short range to long and back, etc etc. vary the distance from two targets touching all the way to 180* apart.

The first thing to work on is training your eyes. as soon as you have called your "shot", find the new target.. not just brown but the SPOT you want your bullet to go. don't even move the gun just snap the eyes. Then add moving the gun later.

IMO, a couple things are key to good transitions... a solid index, and being free of tension. Failing either of those will cause your sights to bounce all around your new target as you swing in on it. The goal is to get the gun to swing in and immediately settle on that spot you've picked for your target.

This is a screen capture from a video at the '09 OH section match. There are 3 targets on my right I've just shot and 2 to my left (one behind my left ear and one by the barrel). Notice my head in relation to the gun... it's turned much faster than the gun. the first priority is to find the target. You can turn your head alone much faster than your whole torso.

whole stage is here....
(even shows my loosing a round into a no-shoot... oops).

YouTube - MDHoser's Channel

Notice on the closer targets you can't even hear a difference between the single-target splits and the transitions. I've had transitions as low as 0.13 in a match, with my Beretta!

-rvb

 

[JohnP82]

I dry fire practice from time to time if I can't get range time in.

 

[GIJEW]

Coach & rvb, thanks for the input about snap caps and transitions. Maybe I'm wanting to "have my cake and eat it too", but practicing transitions without actually being able to operate the trigger takes something away the practice since "dry-fire" by definition involves squeezing the trigger and dropping the hammer. And racking the slide for every shot has me pre-programming myself to do a tap-rack-bang drill for every shot.
Do you find that pressing an un-set trigger suffices or do you rack the slide to simulate clearing jams/reloading--and how often?

 

[rvb]

but practicing transitions without actually being able to operate the trigger takes something away the practice since "dry-fire" by definition involves squeezing the trigger and dropping the hammer. ...
Do you find that pressing an un-set trigger suffices or do you rack the slide to simulate clearing jams/reloading--and how often?

Trigger control is something important you can learn in dryfire, but it is FAR from the only thing. You are drastically limiting yourself if you feel you have to drop the hammer on every shot. Every gun that I am aware of allows you to work an unset trigger through its entire range of motion, and that is all you need for most drills. (Glocks shooters often wedge the slide slightly out of battery for the trigger to reset in dryfire*). I've noticed when instructing that people get stuck on certain words and that often limits the understanding of the goals (not a personal critisism!). Perhaps you need to think of it differently... perhaps don't think of it as "dry FIRE," try thinking of it as "dry shooting" or "dry training" or just "unloaded gun practice." Whatever works for you.

The goal is to train yourself in many varied techniques, not just to FIRE. Reloads, transitions, moving between positions, shooting on the move, etc cannot be properly practiced if you have to stop the drill to reset the gun.

So when do I feel it's important to drop the hammer? Well sometimes I just work on trigger control. Sometimes I work on my first shot out of the holster. Sometimes I identify situations where I'm more likely to throw a shot....

... and transitions are a good example. Lets say two targets, each gets 2 shots (4 total). I may actually drop the hammer on the second shot to ensure I correctly call the "shot" before transitioning off (to train to prevent pulling off early). Maybe on the 3rd shot to ensure a good "shot" as I swing onto the new target. The point is, apply the "dryFIRE" where it's most beneficial to your "unloaded gun practice."

hope that helps,

-rvb

* more info on dryfiring glocks and other striker guns here:
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/tactics_and_training/72419-dryfire_mod_for_glock_xd_and_other_striker_fired_pistols.html

 

[riverman67]

I have only had time to get in a few sessions so far
I have been working on getting a good grip and the draw/ 1st site picture
I don't have a timer yet but I think I'm getting smoother

 

[USMC_0311]

I dry fire every week with my service rifle and pistols. Never used snap caps. Neighbors think I am nuts with my snap in barrels. I pretty much run thru the course of fire. On timed and rapid fires I practice mag changes.

 

[GIJEW]

Thanks rvb, excellent explanation.

 

[Coach]

Pressing the unset trigger following the first shot suffices nicely.